The Threat of Human Trafficking
The Philippines is known to be among the leading sources of migrant workers worldwide. Since the 1970s, the number of Filipinos abroad has steadily increased. The three decades of labor migration practice and its acceptance imply that there is an entire generation of young people who were already born into the culture of migration. The willingness to take any risk has already been ingrained in the Filipino psyche especially among young people.
Thousands of Filipinos are increasingly lured by the promises of a better life in the cities or in other countries but end up in the hands of traffickers. They are trapped as victims of human trafficking, slavery, forced labor and sexual exploitation and human rights violations. Under the guise of safe migration, traffickers lure victims into a life of abuse using false
promises, threats and even coercion. Inside the country, traffickers secretly organize their transport operations via different ports and land routes in the Philippines. Internal trafficking is the springboard for international trafficking. Worldwide recruitment relies on intricate processes that start in far-flung communities. Traffickers operate in underground
networks with strong connections to corrupt public officials and transport operators.
Trafficking is not a simple phenomenon. It thrives on a system of social myths, well-oiled clandestine connections, and the general lack of public awareness on the issue. This equilibrium situation continues to take advantage of the vulnerability of thousands of Filipino women and children. No less than a country-level scale of action involving a wide spectrum of initiatives from ordinary people to high-level government officials must be taken to curve the problem. While a lot of attention has been given to the rescue and rehabilitation of the victims, there are still numerous Filipinos especially in the hotspots who are unaware about the phenomenon. Therefore, traffickers are still able to use the lack of awareness as a tool for deception since the risk is not established in the minds of the potential victim. A broader, mainstream consciousness of the issue is therefore needed.
The MTV Exit Philippines
The MTV has launched the MTV-EXIT campaign as part of its commitment to respond to the issue of trafficking since 2004. In line with this, MTV is producing an extensive live event tour across Asia. The first series of concerts featuring local and international artists was already held in Cambodia in the last quarter of 2008. This year, MTV will take its tour to Indonesia, Nepal and the PHILIPPINES.
To strengthen the momentum of the Philippines campaign on the “War Against Human Trafficking” (WAT) which was launched in August of 2008, the MTV Exit joined a year-long campaign with the Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc. (VFFI) with the support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
This campaign will serve as a rallying point for series of activities that will mobilize various stakeholders to scale up and sustain anti-human trafficking efforts in the country at every point of the process -- the source communities, transit areas and popular destinations. The campaign is mobilizing support from the public, communities, students and private sectors, most especially industries that are involved in the trade of transporting people through sea, air and land.
MTV Exit Philippines will culminate the island-wide efforts and the series of activities already initiated in the grassroots by various stakeholders headed by VFFI and its partners. There will be four concerts kicking off in Manila on May 22, followed by shows in Angeles on July 04, 2009, in Davao on September 12, 2009 and in Cebu on November 14, 2009. These locations were chosen based on the MTV Exit and VFFI research into which areas were most affected by trafficking in the Philippines, including the source, destination and transit areas for labor and/or sexual exploitation. MTV Exit will also engage local artists to become ambassadors of the MTV Exit and WAR AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
Ultimately, the concert is equally seen as a step towards preventing trafficking on the ground; to warn the public; to protect and empower victims; to seek justice against traffickers; and to celebrate the efforts of champions that may help sustain actions on the ground.
Government officials, sponsors and international and UN supporters will be invited to deliver solidarity messages during the concert. Interview footages on the hopes and dreams of victim-survivors of
trafficking will also be shown. Prior to each concert, multiple stakeholders (NGOs, Church-based organizations, Schools, Corporations, local government units) will gather for the FREEDOM MARCH to express their outrage against this exploitation and their dedication to the fight against traffickers. The Freedom March will highlight leader-representatives from these stakeholders who will present their respective messages and battle cries on trafficking issues. These stakeholders will be crucial in sustaining the momentum generated by the concert to ensure that its impact will resonate beyond just the audience who will attend but will also be the catalyst for grassroots action all over the country.
Campaign Objectives
1. To use the power of music to reach as many people across the country as possible to heighten the War Against Human Trafficking campaign;
2. To create massive social awareness to prevent trafficking both at the supply and demand side and the inherent risks of trafficking and related loopholes seen during the migration process; and
3. To sustain public support and ownership among major stakeholders, especially in the government, for policy development at the local and national level.
Get Involved! Here are some of the activites for the campaign:
1. Development and dissemination of “flagship products” such as posters, radio infomercials, and campaign tool kits, dog tags, wrist bands, flyers and video materials. Collaterals from MTV Exit and Visayan Forum will be utilized during the duration of the campaign.
2. Joint Island-wide Consultations and Planning with Manpower and other recruitment and placement agencies in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. This activity aims to start the crafting of the code of conduct for recruitment and placement agencies to ensure compliance of ethical standards on safe migration. These activities are jointly organized by Manpower and Visayan Forum. Manpower is the worldwide leader in talent migration industry. It is recently named as one of the world’s most ethical companies by Ethisphere Magazine. Already established in talent migration (80 countries worldwide), Manpower plays a crucial role in this advocacy as they are visible in every step of the migration process, in the Philippines and abroad. It was also the first company to sign the Athens Ethical Principles, which declare a “zero tolerance” policy for working with any entity, which benefits in any way, from human trafficking. The code of conduct aims to enshrine the ethical principles to other companies so that they will not contribute to the trafficking cycle.
3. Media events to raise public awareness about the national and local realities of trafficking. Case studies of abuses and methods of trafficking will be highlighted. Support from local executives, victims themselves and antitrafficking forerunners will also be tapped. There will be local media events and regional campaign launches in every region.
4. Public Events near the concert date which will gather partners from different sectors including local government institutions to show solidarity during the high profile public events. Activities include: motorcades, parades or rallies to highlight the goals of the anti-trafficking movement. Distribution of IEC materials will be one of the features of this event.
5. School Campaigns. Visayan Forum will be visiting schools that have enlisted in the War Against Human Trafficking campaign. The engagement with schools may be done through organizations, student councils or school administrations. Follow-up actions after the concert will be done when school year begins in June. Students from major secondary schools, colleges and universities in Manila and in the target regions will be mobilized.
Most the schools have already started developing networks called the Movement of Anti-Trafficking Advocates or MATA (eyes in English) made up of individuals and groups who have signed in the WAT enlistment form. These informal groups will be galvanized and will be participating in the build-up activities and preparation of the concert. Planning is on-going and most of the schools have already lined up their own activities ranging from symposia, classroom talks, exhibits, school events and other relevant activities. After the concert, the next plan is to strengthen their participation and to start the next phase by organizing the SUMMIT of MATA.
6. Activities with Faith-based Groups. VF has established partnerships with various faithbased institutions. Many of them are partnersof the VF-Microsoft program, Stop Trafficking and Exploitation of People through Unlimited Potential (step-UP). It is a preventive program that aims to provide IT skills, life skills and entrepreneurial skills to vulnerable groups. Through their participation, more faithbased organizations may be encouraged to
include human trafficking in their liturgical agenda and services. In coordination with the Bishops-Businessmen’s Conference for Human Development (BBCHD), faith-based organizations will be encouraged to launch discussions during Sunday classes, during homilies or lectures and even during their youth group sessions. After the concert, human trafficking is expected to be on top of their advocacy agenda. In addition, faith-based groups are also expected to be proactive in reporting suspected trafficking cases in their local jurisdictions.
7. Activities for Local Government Units (LGUs). LGUs have been working with Visayan Forum on human trafficking for some time now. The concert aims not only to celebrate the progress of local governments in trying to curb trafficking but also as a means to engage new LGUs in the fight. Activities after the concert may include trainings with local police and investigators to help detect and report trafficking, and advocacy in terms of new rules and regulations. LGUs will be also encouraged to develop new local policies to monitor trafficking in their localities and create program and services to curb the problem.
8. Activities for Corporations. The campaign will engage non-traditional partners and ask them to take part in the collective goal of stopping human trafficking. Corporations from the travel industry like private shipping companies, land transport companies and airlines companies will be invited to join the campaign. Many of them have already assisted in fighting trafficking through the orientation of their own employees and by helping repatriate the victims. Other private association of companies like the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) will be mobilized and will be encouraged to do a similar activity in their own company.
9. Massive enlistment to the War Against Human Trafficking. Integral to all the activities is the mass enlistment of supporters to the campaign. All people who enlist will be part of the database of the supporter and sectoral e-group that will be provided with regular information related to the campaign, activities of traffickers, and progress of local ongoing activities of the members. They will also be encouraged to report and monitor cases of trafficking in their respective areas.
The Fight for Freedom has Begun! Join us in the War Against Human Trafficking
